New Delhi: Army on November 14 said redeployment of troops from offensive formations would be completed by December, but indicated that the pace of withdrawal would depend on Pakistani response.

"The first phase of redeployment of offensive formations will be over by the month of December. But further redeployment will depend upon matching Pakistani moves," Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen J B S Yadava said.

Speaking to the media after wishing bon voyage to the contingent of the 8 Sikh Light Infantry Battalion group leaving for United Nations Peace keeping operations in Lebanon, Yadava said further phases of redeployment will be done after evaluation of the security scenario.

"The review would be conducted by the Cabinet Committee on Security and if it feels that the security situation is conducive more troops will be redeployed," he said.

Disclosing that two regiments of the frontline Russian acquired Main Battle Tanks T-90 have been inducted into the Army, Yadava said long-range Smerch Rocket system would be deployed after its field trials were completed.

Yadava said the forward deployment of the Army under "Operation Parakram" was a learning experience.

"Deployment benefited Army to a large extent because it was live training in an operational environment," he said declaring that regular training programmes of the Army would resume from December.

PTI